Esther Lynch, ETUC General Secretary, spoke at a rally 'For a Social and Democratic Europe' in Madrid, on 11/05/2025, on the invitation of CCOO and UGT.
HAPPENING NOW: rally in Madrid for a more social & democratic Europe. @estherlynch.bsky.social:"A Europe focussed on better wages, better quality jobs, a future for ourselves, our family, our grandchildren." This is the Europe working people want.
— European Trade Unions (@etuc-ces.bsky.social) May 11, 2025 at 3:00 PM
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Friends,
I bring solidarity greetings from 45 million workers and their trade unions across Europe.
I’m honoured to be in Spain at this crucial moment — a moment to reclaim the soul of Europe. Europe was built on the ashes of war, united by a vision of peace, solidarity, and social progress.
Today, that vision is under threat. We face a cost-of-living crisis, growing inequality, job losses, and the dangerous rise of the far right.
We reject the far right’s politics of fear, exclusion, and hate — they have no place in the future we are building.
But we are not here to defend the status quo. We are here to demand better. We demand a better Europe. A bolder Europe.
A project of hope: Built on solidarity, not division. On democracy, not authoritarianism. On fair wages, quality jobs, and strong public services. On cooperation between nations and between people.
We fight for a Social Europe — where every worker is empowered, protected, and respected. Respected no matter what job they do, no matter where they are from, or who they love.
The ETUC is proud to unite workers to across borders, across sectors.
Our strength lies in our solidarity, our refusal to be divided, and our belief in a better, fairer future — where the economy serves people, not the other way around.
A Europe that delivers for working people.
That’s our mission. That’s our movement. That’s our future.
Thank you — and thank you to Unai and Pepe.
We stand together, united in hope and action.
Solidarity.